The Quest for Compromise: Peacemakers in Counter-Reformation Vienna (Cambridge Studies in Early Modern History)

The Quest For Compromise Is An Interdisciplinary Study Of The Imperial Court In Late Sixteenth-century Vienna, And A Detailed Examination Of A Fascinating Moment Of Religious Moderation. Against A Backdrop Of Rising Religious And Confessional Dogmatism, The Emperor Maximilian Ii (1564-1576) Assembled A Remarkable Cast Of Courtiers Who Resisted Extremes Of Both Reformation And Counter-reformation. This Book Investigates The Rise And Fall Of An Irenic Movement Through Four Individuals Whose Work At The Imperial Court Reflected The Ideals Of Religious Compromise And Moderation. An Italian Artist (jacopo Strada), A Silesian Physician (johannes Crato), A Dutch Librarian (hugo Blotius), And A German Soldier (lazarus Von Schwendi) Sought Peace And Accommodation Through A Wide Range Of Cultural, Intellectual, And Political Activity. Pt. I. The Emergence Of An Irenic Court. 1. From Confrontation To Conciliation: The Conversion Of Lazarus Von Schwendi. 2. Jacopo Strada And The Transformation Of The Imperial Court -- Pt. Ii. Maximilian Ii And The High Point Of Irenicism. 3. Hugo Blotius And The Intellectual Foundation Of Austrian Irenicism. 4. Ordering A Chaotic World: The Reformation Of The Imperial Library. 5. Protestant Ecumenism And Catholic Reform: The Case Of Johannes Crato. 6. Finding A Via Media: Lazarus Von Schwendi And The Climax Of Austrian Irenicism -- Pt. Iii. The Failure Of Irenicism. 7. Confessional Ambiguity And Unambiguous Critics: Religion And The Austrian Middle Way. 8. The Funeral Of Maximilian Ii: Struggling For The Soul Of Central Europe. Howard Louthan. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 167-179) And Index. Cover Half-title Title Copyright Contents List of illustrations Acknowledgments A political and cultural chronology List of abbreviations Introduction Part I: The emergence of an irenic court 1 From confrontation to conciliation: the conversion of Lazarus von Schwendi 2 Jacopo Strada and the transformation of the imperial court Part II: Maximilian II and the high point of irenicism Introduction 3 Hugo Blotius and the intellectual foundation of Austrian irenicism 4 Ordering a chaotic world: the reformation of the imperial library 5 Protestant ecumenism and Catholic reform: the case of Johannes Crato 6 Finding a via media: Lazarus von Schwendi and the climax of Austrian irenicism Part III: The failure of irencisim Introduction 7 Confessional ambiguity and unambiguous critics: religion and the Austrian middle way 8 The funeral of Maximilian II: struggling for the soul of central Europe 9 Matthias in the Netherlands: the political failure of irenicism Conclusion Storm clouds on the horizon: from the great milk war to the Thirty Years War Epilogue The wider circle of irenicism Select bibliography Index The Quest for Compromise is an interdisciplinary study of an imperial court in late-sixteenth-century Vienna, and a detailed examination of a fascinating moment of religious moderation. It investigates the rise and fall of an irenic movement through four individuals: an Italian artist (Jacopo Strada), a Silesian physician (Johannis Crato), a Dutch librarian (Hugo Blotius) and a German soldier (Lazarus von Schwendi), who sought peace and accommodation through a wide range of cultural, intellectual and political activity. The Quest for Compromise is an interdisciplinary study of an imperial court in late sixteenth-century Vienna, and a detailed examination of a fascinating moment of religious moderation. It investigates the rise and fall of an irenic movement through four individuals: an Italian artist (Jacopo Strada), a Silesian physician (Johannis Crato), a Dutch librarian (Hugo Blotius) and a German soldier (Lazarus von Schwendi), who sought peace and accommodation through a wide range of cultural, intellectual and political activity. It was the often caustic Voltaire who penned the famous line, "This agglomeration which was called and which still calls itself the Holy Roman Empire is neither holy, nor an Empire."